Compare towns
Wells River vs Sutton vs Barton vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($231k median).
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Wells River | Sutton | Barton | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 340Lowest |
790 |
730 |
809Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
| Sutton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Sutton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.7% VT: 43.8% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Orleans and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$71,250±$18kHighest 12% below VT |
$40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Sutton and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
$231,100±$41kHighest 27% below VT |
$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$156,300±$18k 51% below VT |
| Sutton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Highest 27% below VT |
— | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$810±$94 34% below VT |
| Wells River and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154Highest 18% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
$3,185 37% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
25.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
52.7% VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
30 minLowest 26% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.